Scarlet Murder Files: The Elizondo Case

Chapter 4: Priscilla Jimenez

MAGKASAMA KAMING UMUWI ni Alex pagkatapos naming makausap si Madame Sylvia. Hindi man namin nalaman kung sino talaga ang huling kasama ni Joanna nang gabing 'yon, may bago naman kaming lead.

On our ride home, his phone rang while we were still along the highway. He fished out his phone from his pocket and glanced at the screen.

Alex sighed and slowed down the car. Iginilid nya ang kotse at hininto, he took off his seatbelt and told me to stay in the car as he answers the call.

Hindi ko alam kung sino ang tumawag sa kanya, but it seemed private. Hindi sya gaanong lumayo, pero nakatalikod sya sa pickup.

I smirked and opened the compartment. I saw the handcuff again which made me shiver, a bunch of pens, some paper that was neatly tucked inside a small envelope, and a black notebook.

I grabbed it and quickly flipped the pages. On the third page, I saw Joanna Cristobal's name.

Muli akong lumingon kay Alex, he was still talking to someone on the phone and has his back against the pickup.

I hurriedly took pictures of all the pages he wrote on, and I put it back after.

Pagkabalik ni Alex, I think he didn't suspect a thing. Ni hindi sya nagsalita, at pinaandar na uli ang sasakyan.

Alex stopped in front of the apartment I'm staying at. I removed my seatbelt, and opened the door.

"Thank you for the ride. Sorry rin at sumakay ako kanina nang walang paalam." I said without looking at him.

The air suddenly felt awkward and it urged me more to get out of his pickup.

But just as I was about to touch the handle, he held my arm. Maagap akong napalingon sa kanya.

"You need something?"

He sighed.

"You cannot continue doing this, Belle." He announced, making my eyebrows furrow. "Tierra Cappa is dangerous. There is a reason why they are keeping it a secret now."

I squinted my eyes and turned my body towards him. He seems to know a lot about Tierra Cappa even when it's a secret sorority, I arched my brow at him.

"Keeping it a secret now?" I asked. "Ibig sabihin hindi 'yon sikreto noon?"

He shook his head.

"When my mother was in college, Tierra Cappa Phi was a popular sorority which consisted only of the richest of the elites. So you could either be that, or you get vouched for. It was very exclusive and yet they still have strict initiations. Hindi ganoon kadami ang miyembro nila, but they protect each other to death."

I nodded and continued listening to what he was saying.

"Just after my mom graduated, rumor started to spread that the sorority is affiliated with drug syndicates and human trafficking. They denied it, of course. Nothing was ever proven, but since then, members started to say that their sorority was dissolved."

"But we all know that's not true..." I lingered,

"Yes. And this group, they're dangerous for you. Kung may kinalaman nga sila sa nangyari kay Joanna, then that only means that it won't be impossible for them to be also involved in a syndicate. Mapapahamak ka kung ipagpapatuloy mo ito." Pagasusumamo nya.

I looked down and sighed. Right, this could be dangerous. But what else am I supposed to do with my life?

I don't want to be a useless journalist for the rest of my life.